This extensive seminar takes student and/or teacher directors through the step-by-step process of successfully bringing the play from the page to stage. The seminar starts with how to select the play or performance style, scheduling the production, auditions, casting, planning and documenting movement, a variety of character development techniques, technical implementation and finally to final dress and a successful production on opening night! 

This seminar also focuses on how directors can collaborate with students or colleague designers and technicians to stage a successful production.

Many theatre curriculums such as the IB Theatre Diploma Programme and the IGCSE now require students to create devised drama as part of the curriculum. Many theatre teachers see the value of originally created scenes as part of the process of learning about theatre but are not sure where to start. This seminar is designed to give students and teachers several means of starting points for creating the original script as well as how to work together as an ensemble, how to make decisions and choices about the scene as well as documenting the process to the point of completion of a well staged piece of original work. Devised drama can be very inspiring and moving as well as an incredible teaching tool!

Technical design for the theatre serves not only as an artistic and practical outlet for students but also the theatrical design industry is a very viable and lucrative career path for many technically minded students.

Students and teachers will be taken through a step-by-step process that utilizes professional style production meetings as well as lessons in the design process up to realizing the areas of Lighting, Sound, Make – Up, Properties, Scenery and Costumes. The process revolves around 3 main collaborative production meetings where important artistic and logistical decisions are made by the designers in conjunction with the director. Finally, the designers will have the opportunity to build and oversee the construction of their designs.

Working behind the scenes of a play, musical production or dance performance can be just as artistic as the work of any performer who graces the stage. Many directors do not have the time or sometimes the expertise to organize what is happening behind the scenes. This consultation would establish a schedule to meet with the technicians that will be stage -managing, working as the Lighting and Sound Board Operators as well as the Make Up, Properties, Costumes or Scenery back stage run-crews. This consultation can be extended to Front of House (tickets, posters and programs) and Theatre Management that includes basic theater safety.

This can be given as a seminar or a consultation.

Auditioning is one of the most challenging parts of the acting process and can be a very valuable real-world lesson! Actors learn how to take control of the audition process and land the right role for the right reasons! 

Directors learn how to plan and use different techniques to thoroughly audition actors and make the tough choices of casting based on the fast and furious process of auditioning. Casting is the first step to good directing but directors need to know how to get the best out of their actors in the short amount of time that they have to see them. This seminar takes directors and actors through what to do prior to an audition, several techniques used in auditions process and how to follow up after the audition.

This workshop may be extended for students who are preparing auditions for university entrance or scholarships or any production.

This consultation works with the young actor to take them through the thought process of how to realize the role on the page and bring it to life on the stage. The approach of this workshop’s style or “method” of acting borrows techniques from Stanislavsky, Meyerhold, Michael Chekhov, Michael Shurtleff, Uta Hagen and others. The consultation will take actors from read-through character analysis, to developing the voice, creating movement, finding rhythm and other techniques for memorizing lines and bringing the role to life on the stage.

This workshop may be repeated as necessary.

Public Speaking is something that many teachers expect their students to do. However, many times the resources or skills are not available for students to know what is expected of them when they get up to face one of the greatest fears in society – speaking in public!! This seminar will equip your students and teachers with the skills necessary to speak in any format with confidence and knowledge! This seminar can be designed to fit any style of public speaking or public presentation needed for the classroom including speeches, debates, poetry contests, readers’ theatre and other forms of oral interpretation!

Public speaking is an excellent method of differentiation for teaching writing.

This interactive professional development seminar is designed to give teachers methods for using group discussion, public speaking and debate to reinforce main concepts in the classroom. It also takes teachers through the backward planning process of assessing, planning knowledge and skills based objectives and the key elements of teaching public speaking and debate for the classroom. Teachers will leave with a prepared public speaking lesson as well as many speaking exercises than can be used immediately!

This seminar is designed to give the teacher several different ideas for classroom debate formats for a large group. It will demonstrate how to scaffold the lesson to help students prepare prior to the debate as well how to assess the work leading up to the debate. It will also focus on assessing a debate while it is taking place in the classroom. This can be presented as a seminar for teachers, given as a lesson by the consultant or designed in collaboration with the teacher or a group of teachers.

Mock trial is a simulation trial based upon the lower US court system. ANY DISCIPLINE can use mock trail to put historical or literary characters on trial. There are roles for everyone from Judge and Jury to Lawyers and Witnesses. This is a fun teaching unit that will motivate your students to know every minute detail about a person or event in your subject area.

A Mock Trial can be specially designed for your class’s unit of study with teacher collaboration. Afterwards you will find it easy to adapt this technique to other units using different people and events.

This technique is similar to the process used in the most prestigious law schools in the USA. Mock Trial or Moot Court can also be presented for competition and competitions can be arranged based upon real trials and past court records. 

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. They say most interviewers know if they want to hire you within the first minutes. DON'T BLOW IT! 

Many students enter the application process for universities or the world of work without knowing how to prepare prior to the interview, respond to the tough questions and follow up afterwards. This workshop covers all of these areas of interviewing and prepares students for success.

Many major competitive universities rely on interviews and are saying that a good interview could get you in the door! Why take the chance? 

Many people in the workplace find themselves in the same situation. They have a big opportunity right in front of them but they either dread the interview process or they are not sure what to do in the interview. We help you to prepare for the interview for that big opportunity to give yourself the best chance at getting the job b working with an interview expert.

Consultation includes:

1) Guidance on how to research your employer

2) How to set up your notes for the interview

3) How to think about what questions to ask

4) Practice interviews with insight into what persuades employers

Mark Webber has coached local, national, regional and continental champions on 4 continents. He continues to spread his love for debate by starting leagues wherever he goes or supporting the local league when there has been one in place.  He is the founder of the Mexican Debating circuit, served as a Board member of The English Speaking Union - Mexico in charge of Debate and Public Speaking when Mexico placed a finalist, 2nd place and overall 1st World Champion the ESU World Championships in London in 3 years time. He also coached Team Mexico at the World Schools Debating Championships where they won many major speaking awards and passed to the elimination rounds 4 out of 7 years including winning 7th place overall in Turkey in 2013! He will create workshops at your school in any style of debate or public speaking. 

• World Schools’ Style
• Policy Debate
• Lincoln/Douglas Value Debate
• American Parliamentary
• Karl Popper
• Public Forum
• Student Congress
• Model UN

Students will receive a seminar and coaching on how to do any style of public speaking for contest. Mark Webber has coached competitive speaking for 22 years as well as competing on the university and high school circuit. Your students can benefit from learning the necessary techniques that win judges over. The seminar will focus on physical and verbal style as well as structure and the use of appropriate rhetoric to create the perfect speech for contest. Teachers will be given tips on how to most effectively coach and give feedback to students.

• Impromptu
• Extemporaneous
• Oratory
• Declamation

Let’s face it, in the business world you are either moving forward or you are moving backwards!

This seminar is designed for the competitive business person who has an important presentation or business pitch coming up or realizes that the key to advancement is skilled communication. I can give you the one-on-one attention that you need to help you improve yourself as a speaker and presenter. The consultation will focus on use of voice and diction, physical style, use of persuasive rhetoric and using visual aids.

I can also assist you in creating the story line for your pitch so that you may communicate your vision more effectively to your donors and clients. 

Mark Joseph Webber      
Bachelor of Arts Teaching -Theater Arts, Public Speaking and Debate

DEBATE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING ACCOLADES:

11 years teaching in the USA, 17 years international teaching, consulting and Fine Arts administration
English Speaking Union (ESU) – Mexico (Board of Directors) 2010 - 2017
Founder of the Mexican Debating circuit 2010 - Current.
Coach of ESU International Public Speaking Contest 2014 - 2nd place Worldwide
Coach of Team Mexico for World Schools’ Debating Championships 2010 - 2017

• (Indonesia)        2017 – 17th place W/w, 6th Best ESL Speaker worldwide
• (Germany)         2016 – 20th place W/w, 15th Best ESL Speaker worldwide
• (Singapore)       2015- 34th place W/w, 5th Best ESL Speaker worldwide
• (Thailand)        2014 – 21st place W/w, 2 speakers tied for 13th Best ESL Speakers
• (Turkey)            2013 – 7th place W/w, 13th, 23rd and 35th Best Speakers/ 1st, 5th Best ESL Spkrs W/w
• (South Africa)   2012 – 27th place W/w, 9th, 13th and 15th Best ESL Speakers 
• (Scotland)         2011 - 16th place W/w, 5th Best ESL Speaker

Coach of Team Sudan for World Schools’ Debating Championships 2010 (Qatar) 4th best new speaker
Coach of American School Foundation Debate Team 2010 – Current (2011 Mexican Champions) 
Coach of the ITAM World Universities Debating Championships Team 2014 (Malaysia)
Coach of the ITESM CSF World Universities Debating Championships Team 2012 (Germany)
Coach of the ITESM CSF University Debate Team 2012 - 14
World Universities Debating Championships Organization Committee – Mexico - 2018
Asociación Mexicana de Debate  - Co-Founder and Board Member 2015- Current
World Schools’ Debate Webinar Series for the National Debate Association USA – 2015, 16
Director of Mexican Debate Summer Camps and Seminars 2011 – Current
The Bronx Achievement Award (Outstanding Contribution to International Debate) 2008

DRAMA/THEATRE ACCOLADES:

Director of Performing and Fine Arts (Malaysia, Sudan) - 2003 - 2010
IB Theatre Teacher - Venezuela, Malaysia, Sudan 2001-2010
IGCSE Drama Teacher - Sudan - 2007-2010
Directors Lab Chicago – Elizabeth Margolius - 2013
Accredited to Assess IGCSE Drama: Cambridge Intl. Examinations - 2008
IB Theatre Arts Programme Symposium (Paris ISTA): Jeff Aitken - 2007
Broadway Classroom for Musical Theatre (New York): Gordon Greenberg -2006
IB Theatre Arts Programme Symposium (Bangkok ISTA): Sherri Sutton - 2005
Meyerhold’s Biomechanics-Method Acting (Kuala Lumpur): Christopher Jacobs - 2005
IB Theatre Arts Symposium (Bali ISTA): Tim Williams - 2003